Mark Robinson backs 12-week abortion ban in campaign ad, after prior call for ‘no compromise’

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson said he “stands by” North Carolina’s law banning abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy in a new campaign ad, and backed “common sense exceptions” for cases involving rape, incest and risk to the life of the mother.

The new ad, titled “Unscripted,” begins with Robinson detailing he and his wife Yolanda’s joint decision for her to have an abortion 30 years ago.

“It was like this solid pain between us that we never spoke of,” Robinson says in the ad, sitting beside his wife as they hold hands.

“It’s something that stays with you forever,” she says.

North Carolina’s law, Robinson says, “gives help to mothers and stops cruel late-term abortions.”

“When I’m governor, mothers in need will be supported,” he says.

Robinson has previously said ‘no compromise’ on abortion

In a news release showcasing the ad, the campaign said it “focuses on one of Robinson’s priorities of doing more to support mothers and families.”

It signals how the GOP nominee for governor, an ardent anti-abortion conservative, will likely message on the issue leading up to November. Robinson has previously said he believes “there is no compromise on abortion,” and that “it makes no difference to me why or how that child ended up in that womb.”

He has expressed support for North Carolina’s law, which took effect last year. But he said in February that “the next goal is to get it down to six (weeks), and then just moving from there” — indicating a desire to pass further restrictions.

A campaign spokesperson, asked in February about those comments, said Robinson “supports legislation that would limit abortion after a heartbeat is detected, with protections for extreme situations such as rape, incest or when the life of the mother is in danger.”

His Democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Stein, has previously spotlighted Robinson’s prior comments in his own advertising. A June ad featured Robinson saying abortion “is about killing the child because you weren’t responsible enough to keep your skirt down.”

In a statement released on Friday, the Stein campaign dismissed Robinson’s new ad as an attempt to distance himself from his prior position in favor of a complete ban.

The campaign provided links to several past remarks by Robinson, including saying he would favor passage of state legislation “saying you can’t have an abortion in North Carolina for any reason,” and “I would love to see abortion outlawed, make no qualms about that. I don’t believe in abortion under any circumstances.”

Robinson confirmed in 2022 that he and his wife had decided to terminate his wife’s pregnancy before they were married. It was “the hardest decision we have ever made, and sadly, we made the wrong one,” he said in a previous video posted to social media.

The ad buy includes $800,000 for the first week of air time. Political ad-tracking firm AdImpact said Robinson’s campaign had spent or reserved $4.9 million thus far.